Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have altered the gaming industry, thanks to their newly incepted functionalities, which have enhanced the consumer experience. Building on innovation diffusion theory, technology acceptance model, and flow theory, this study highlights an AI‐powered avatar concept. This study explores the roles of perceived easiness, usefulness, advantage, compatibility, enjoyment, customization, and interactivity in forming the gamers' intention to play with AI‐powered avatars. A survey data of 500 respondents from China having experience playing online video games is used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results offer significant support to the proposed relationships related to adopting an AI‐powered avatar and the consumers' psychological association with its adoption. Consequently, the results imply that AI‐powered avatars should allow gamers to customize, interact, and take assistance to move up levels with an enjoyable experience. Moreover, this study also suggests that digital technologies such as AI could be integrated into the gaming environment for a more pleasing and immersive experience.

Purpose Consumers today actively participate in online purchasing experiences. As a result, it is critical to comprehend the behavioral aspects of novel technology usage, such as augmented reality (AR). AR apps enable beauty companies to create and design more immersive experience services. This study aims to highlight consumers’ perspectives on their continued desire to use AR app services. Design/methodology/approach A comparative study between China and South Korea was conducted with sample sizes of 458 and 315, respectively. Smart PLS was used for analysis. Findings The findings suggest that AR apps influence innovative consumers in China and South Korea to be satisfied with and continue to use such services. Previous research on technology acceptance model, information system success, AR and artificial intelligence (AI)-context-specific variables supported the findings. Practical implications This study contributes to the development of AR apps for beauty brands, as such technology revolutionizes how beauty brands work and grow. As a result, AR apps can pave the way for brands to provide an immersive experience to their customers. Originality/value The current study contributes to AR and AI drivers in the context of beauty brands by using novel technologies such as AR. AR integration with AI-context-specific variables indicates that consumers in China and South Korea are innovative and accept such technologies when purchasing beauty products online.

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Online gaming is consistently changing with the use of new technologies and seen as making an impact on consumers’ sustainable lifestyles. The gaming avatars have influenced low avatar identification players to engage in physical and learning activities through massively multiplayer online (MMO) game genre. The fundamental purpose of the study is to classify the association of an avatar with consumer’s behavioural intention for exercise and to consume healthy food. This study incorporates three theories: social cognitive theory (SCT), social determination theory (SDT) and player-avatar identification (PAI) theory to determine its four dimensions’ impact on exercise and healthy food intention to attain a sustainable healthy lifestyle. SCT is related to human cognitive behaviour in the light of immersive experience, self-presence, and enjoyment. SDT related to the physical aspects of consumers that are exercise intention and consumption of healthy food. The results have shown that immersive experience, self-presence and enjoyment do impact the consumer’s behavioural intention towards an individual’s sustainability.

Purpose: To improve the loan repayment performance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Pakistan, this research not only analyses the direct effect of multiple borrowing on loan repayment performance but also determining the indirect impact of multiple borrowing on loan repayment performance through the mediating role of over-indebtedness and moderate role of moral hazard between over-indebtedness and loan repayment performance. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a rich dataset comprised of information provided by the employees of MFIs working in Pakistan. The primary data were collected through the structural questionnaire, reliability and validity of construct were established in the light of different techniques including (1) Factor Loading (2) Cronbach’s Alpha (3) Composite Reliability (4) Average Variance Extracted (5) Variance Inflation Factor (6) Fornell-Larcker Criterion and (7) HTMT Ratio. Moreover, structural equation modeling techniques were applied in this study and, hypotheses were tested through bootstrapping by using PLS-SEM. Findings: The results confirm not the only direct impact of multiple borrowing on loan repayment performance and over-indebtedness but also mediating role of over-indebtedness between multiple borrowing and loan repayment performances. Aside from the direct influence of over-indebtedness on loan repayment performance, the moderate role of moral hazard on the association between over-indebtedness and loan payback was also found. Application of the Study: The findings of this study will be communicated with all Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in the future so that policies may be developed to address the factors that negatively affect the loan repayment performance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). Besides this, the outcomes of this study will also enable the MFIs to launch different loaning products that not only fulfill the borrower’s requirements but also ensure the interest of MFIs. Originality/value: Until now, the impact of multiple borrowing on loan repayment performance through mediating role of over-indebtedness and moderating role of moral hazard in the context of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) of Pakistan have hardly been investigated. This study also enhances the understanding of MFIs regarding multiple borrowing and its subsequent impact on loan repayment performance. Moreover, the findings of this study enable the MFIs of Pakistan to improve their loan repayment performance by formulating the new lending policies in light of the finding of this study with special reference to multiple borrowing.